


Welcome Kisses

by Klik



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, also this is set post game, i just want good things for thanzag, kinda OOC, my new brainrot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:54:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27020821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Klik/pseuds/Klik
Summary: Zagreus makes a new tradition in their relationship. It doesn’t really take long  for Thanatos to get used to it.
Relationships: Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 199





	Welcome Kisses

**Author's Note:**

> Set Post-Game
> 
> First work for the fandom, whew, but I'm sure it won't be my last  
> Also note, I haven't played the game for myself and only watched gameplay and snippets, so sorry if there's anything wrong here :')  
> Follow me on my socials if you wanna, I'm mostly active on my Twit so if you wanna see some thanzag content + other stuff, might consider a follow :)  
> IG: @/kliks_art  
> Twt: @/anghelhasfallen

It doesn't take longer than two minutes after Thanatos arrived at the balcony overlooking the Styx to hear the crackling against the floor.

He turns around, already expecting, and is immediately pulled into a hug by the smaller man with a flickering laurel wrapped around his head.

"Welcome back," Zagreus hummed softly, raising his face out of the other man's chest and giving him a smile. 

"Have you waited long?" Thanatos asked as he lowered from his floating state, but still looked down since he was taller than the prince.

"Half yes half no," Zagreus hummed and glanced back in direction, "at first I ran to Asphodel for a little fighting, but then I remembered you were coming back soon."

"Hm," Thanatos glanced up and down at Zagreus, examining for any wounds on the man, almost surprised to find none. "I'm impressed."

"Right?" Zagreus chuckled softly, "guess I'm just getting used to the fighting."

Thanatos nods his head and looks down instinctively to muffle a small laugh. "I have to agree that it's an appropriate suit for someone with your title."

Zagreus rolled his eyes and snorted. "Yeah, I get it. God of Blood."

Zagreus then held his hands and leaned up to press a kiss on Thanatos' lips. Heat rose to the Death Incarnate's cheeks. Sure, he was used to kissing Zagreus already, but here in the open-

"Welcome back, again," Zagreus smiled at him before his smile slowly faltered, noticing the lack of emotion on Thanatos' face. "S-sorry. Was that too much?"

Thanatos had to remember to reply after a moment, shaking his head and taking a deep breath. "..no. It just surprised me."

Zagreus eyed him for a moment before he was sure Thanatos' reply was genuine, and the prince smiled softly and tugged on his hand. "Shall we retire to my chambers, then?"

Thanatos looked at him again, noting the slowly rising hunger in Zagreus' mismatched eyes. He squeezed on the god's hand in agreement.

"We shall."

They made love, neither the prince's moans nor death's escaping the confines of the quiet, almost peaceful east side of the House. After, they stayed in the bed, talking whatever they thought about in each other's arms.

The kiss at the balcony didn't leave Thanatos' mind, though, and he wondered if he will ever get used to affection being shown publicly.

Little does Thanatos know, that next time…

* * *

Almost not even two surface days later, it would happen again.

Thanatos had been held up in the surface since another war had broke out, and to his dismay having to meet with his "kin", the god of war, Lord Ares, as the war continued.

Only when the war has reached a kind of stalemate when Thanatos can finally come back to Tartarus, giving a report of the final tally of souls that have been reaped and harvested.

"Oh, Thanatos?"

A woman's voice called out to Death Incarnate as he was about to head to the East side, turning back to see Persephone herself approaching him.

"Yes, my queen?" Thanatos asked in a respectful tone, standing straight in reverence.

"My son had told me earlier to tell you to head to Elysium after you had arrived and gave the report," Persephone said with a gentle smile and an almost soft voice, not wanting to sound intimidating and at least make the conversation casual, "he had been there for a while."

"I see. Thank you, my queen," Thanatos bowed his head in gratitude and soon teleported to said area, trying to sense Zagreus around the forest-like fields as he floated about.

He soon found the god of blood leaning on a winding trunk. He was full of wounds and bruises, presumably after sparring with the ever battle-hungry Theseus and his companion minotaur.

Zagreus had his eyes closed, the Stygian blade next to him, leaning on the trunk as well. The prince has his arms crossed and his head slightly dropped to the side. 

Thanatos figured that Zagreus had wanted to fight some Exalted with him, but the Death Incarnate presumed he had taken too long. He slowly lowered onto the grassy ground and slowly sat down beside the sleeping prince.

Suddenly, the supposed to be asleep body jumped to him, his hands falling onto Thanatos' cheeks and the elder god feeling something soft against his lips.

It took him a moment to realize that the man was actually not asleep and was waiting for him to get a pounce on- and the relief almost made him melt into the unexpected kiss, but he had sense enough to grab the prince's hands and peel him away from his face.

" _ Zagreus… _ "

"Uh oh, that's not good," the prince remarked with a chuckle, still on his fours on top of the other god who was sat up the ground. "Uhm...welcome back?"

Thanatos gave him a grown before sighing, shaking his head. "You're lucky there weren't any Exalted here, or I would've sent you back to the Styx without any regrets."

"I'm already battered and you want to  _ kill _ me? How painful," Zagreus said in a mock offended gasp before he chuckled, taking the hood of Death and put it down, the latter's white-golden hair shining under the soft blue light of the Elysian fields. Thanatos only rolled his eyes in response.

Zagreus chuckled at that and took a look around before he smiled mischievously. "Say, there  _ are  _ no Exalted here," he purred, "and there's obviously not gonna be anyone coming around here, so.."

"...you're suggesting?" 

"Don't be redirecting the question onto me now, Than," Zagreus placed a finger under his lover's chin and smirked, "you know what I'm suggesting."

Thanatos looked at him, then the prince suddenly chuckled in a nervous tone. "I mean, if you'd like to. You know I wouldn't want you to force you to do anything you're uncomfortable with, Than."

The sincerity in the prince's voice almost made Thanatos' dead heart shudder to life, and he only wrapped his arms around the prince's waist.

"Fool. I haven't given an answer yet," He said and slid his hands down to cup Zagreus' bottom, making the man's breath hitch. "I wouldn't say it'd hurt to try."

True to Zagreus' word, no one passed through the woody area of Elysium, no one hearing the heavy breaths and soft gasps of the lovers.

Zagreus kissed him again as he found his peak, and Than suddenly kissed back without giving it much thought.

After, Than had Zagreus in his arms, leaning on the same trunk as Zagreus once did when he waited for his chance to tackle Than earlier.

Thanatos suddenly remembered that this was the second time Zagreus had kissed him when he came back.

* * *

Death Incarnate stood by the foot of a bed of an elder man, his hands held by his son, and his grandchildren and other relatives watching on as the man said his final words.

It wasn't rare for Thanatos to wait this long, but it was still quite uncommon since only after just a minute or two, he'd snatch the dying human's soul, sending it off to his brother, Charon, to be towed off to the heart of Tartarus.

This time, though, he ended up lost in thought as he waited for the last soul for the day, or days, Thanatos stopped paying attention to the passing time when his work was to come to a close soon.

... actually, Thanatos stopped paying attention later on. Normally he'd keep tally of the souls, being able to recount all of the souls he'd reaped, but lately it has been  _ quite _ difficult to remember.

The God of Death normally doesn't have thoughts when at work, only remembering to snatch the soul as it started to drift from it's hollow shell of a body and whisk it away to his brother. But this time...lately…

He's  _ longed. _

Thanatos  _ longed  _ for home.

Not the House, not Tartarus, no, not that.

He's longed for  _ home _ . For  _ Zagreus. _ He's longed to see him, to be greeted by his lover, to tell him all that he'd done that day, work or not. To hold his hand. To be in his arms. To hear his voice. To see his smile. To see his ever expressive face. To be in his safe, kind, but protecting aura. To..

To be  _ kissed _ as he was welcomed back home.

Thanatos almost didn't notice the soul start to drift away, and he took hold of his scythe again and to greet a somber, soft  _ Death approaches  _ to ready the new Shade, and swiftly and smoothly cut the soul permanently from it's previous home, and the soul soon drifted into the river connecting to the unseen entrance to the Styx.

As the warmth of the once human faded away from his presence, he started to long for another warmth.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, but the corners of his mouth twitched into a smile, knowing what's to be 

expected when he came home.

* * *

Zagreus signed away the last of the stack of papers from the last Shade, and when the latter drifted away from the prince's desk, he sighed and placed his quill down, before stretching his arms in the air, letting out a sigh of relief when he felt and heard a  _ pop _ ! from inside his limbs.

"Well done," Zagreus glanced at the voice that came at his desk, seeing his mother with a basket full of pomegranates. "That's the last for now, at least."

Zagreus gave a small smile to his mother, nodding his head. "Thank you. Though, I think I prefer running around Tartarus than this."

"You just want to annoy your father by ransacking the underworld, my son," Persephone's tone was both scolding and also casual, so Zagreus just chuckled at it.

"And it would not do you well if you decide to do so again," his father's deep voice came from above, and both he and his mother snorted. "I think it's a good thing to have continuous renovations, father. It would do well for the Shades. More jobs for them."

Hades let out a deep sigh, shaking his head at his son's retort, "you are only wasting valuable resources on these continuous renovations. Perhaps I'll let you take up the job and fix the place yourself."

" _ Gods _ , no. I'm fine with the desk work, thank you," Zagreus chuckled and hopped off his chair, bowing his head at both his mother and father. "Well, I'm off for a quick run. My legs are just itching to get a move on."

Persephone nodded her head, then took one pomegranate from the basket and handed it to her son. "Be wise and careful now, dear. The Fury sisters aren't in a good mood and it'd not bode you well to encounter them so."

Zagreus took the fruit and also took the Stygian blade beside his desk, holding it by his back. "I'll just bring this just in case, then."

He bid the last farewell to his parents before dashing off, but he hasn't even exited the main door before he heard the familiar toll of bronze bells, and another priority more important than a sprint came into mind.

He jogged back to the Great Hall, seeing the familiar black chiton and grey skin at the front of the court. He could only hear snippets of the report, but the tally of souls was high as usual.

There's something different, Zagreus notes.

Than stands upright, as usual, but something in him is relaxed, and Zag is sure everyone can see it too. An odd, eerie sense of calm is radiating off Death, and it's terrifying everyone and every Shade rather than give them reassurance.

Zagreus, though, isn't all that afraid. He's gotten used to Than relaxing into his arms and basically melting like the spring weathered snow on the surface. With how everyone is intimidated by Death, it seems he had a softer side to him as well.

After Thanatos gave his report and bowed his head, Zagreus stood by the large door frame, leaning against it as he waited for his lover to turn and see him. Thanatos did just that, turning to his left to float to his usual spot overlooking the balcony then his golden eyes locking onto his mismatched own.

"Hi-- _!!!!! _ "

Zagreus was sure everything stood still.

Zagreus was sure everyone in the House was watching.

Zagreus was sure that this was  _ not  _ something Thanatos would do.

Yet, here they are, Thanatos' feet back on the ground, a hand holding Zagreus' waist and holding him close, his other hand on the back of his neck to crane his neck upward and making his lips meet Thanatos' soft own. Zagreus isn't sure when he dropped Stygian, but he felt the sword next to his foot.

After a moment that felt like hours, Thanatos pulled his face away and eyed at Zagreus before he smiled.

"I'm  _ home _ , Zagreus."

It took Zagreus a hot minute (literally) for his mind to process everything that happened in under just 40 seconds. By the time he regained some senses in his limbs, Thanatos had already made some distance between them, a blush on his cheeks.

The Lord of the House gave a loud clear of his throat, and the House continued to do it's routine, Shades moving forward into the Court and work being resumed.

The lovers slowly walked behind the door frame, hidden from everyone in sight. Thanatos still had a dark blush on his cheeks, and Zagreus was still so speechless as he picked up his blade and slid it into its sheath strapped to his hip.

"Zagreus.." Thanatos began slowly. He was starting to hide his face back into his hood. "I.. apologize. I shouldn't have, without your conse-"

Zagreus came forward and pressed a kiss on Thanatos' cheek, effectively making the taller man shut up. 

"Don't apologize. It makes me feel bad when I did it to you," Zagreus said softly, the corner of his mouth twitching into a pout, "y-you did surprise me a lot, though. I didn't think  _ you'd _ do it in the public like that."

"Well…" Thanatos cleared his throat, his golden eyes darting to the side as heat rose into his cheeks more, making the dark blush only darker. "I'll admit I...may have been...inspired from what you did last time."

That made Zagreus blush more, but he chuckled, and it made Thanatos' dead heart flutter to hear the love of his life laugh. The prince pulled him into a hug, raising his head a bit to lock eyes with him once again.

"I guess those welcome kisses are going to be a thing now?"

Thanatos pursed his lips, hesitating to voice out his agreement until he looked at Zagreus again, his beautiful, bright mismatched eyes filled with  _ love _ .

"...yes. I'd like that."

And so, everytime Thanatos came back from the surface, or Zagreus climbed out of the Styx, they'd greet each other with a kiss that can restore their souls and mood better than any Ambrosia or Nectar can.

**Author's Note:**

> Aaand thats it! Also thank you to my good friend Luisa who basically beta'd this and convinced me to share it here on ao3. I appreciate ya b!  
> If there's anything you want me to write, just suggest away in the comments. Ty <3


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